Matchmaking
by WildMagicIsEverywhere
Summary: Written for Goldenlake SMACKDOWN 2013. BurixRaoul
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Still not my characters

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'So you want me to go with you.' She says, raising an eyebrow.

'Please Buri- you don't know what they're like!' She laughs at this, because the expression of terror on Raoul's face is comical.

'They're just women, Raoul. What are you afraid of?'

He pulls a horrified face. 'Oh no no no... Not just women. _Mothers_.'

'Excuse me if I don't share your fear. Thayet is a mother. So is Alanna. Yet I don't see you hiding a bush every time they walk past.'

'Matchmaking mothers, Buri! They'll all be trying to give me their daughters! There are only so many times that a man can politely walk away... Eventually he gets stuck with some limpet in a flouncy dress and curls who bats her eyelids often enough that he has to put on a scarf because of the breeze!'

Buri lays a hand on his arm. '_Matchmaking_ mothers, you say?'

'Of the worst kind.'

'Hmm. I suppose... I could...'

'Buri, please. I'll do anything. Just- help me out. Come with me.'

Her mouth twists slightly as she thinks about it. Raoul puts on a pleading face. 'Kel... thought that maybe you could... Help me out... with the women? Tell me which ones to avoid, or, which ones look like they could actually be decent people... and I thought, you'd know, what with you being a woman, and all.' He sighs, and rubs a hand over his face, and peeks out at her from between his fingers.

Buri smirks. In all honesty, she thinks that she would have gone with him without the persuading, but Raoul doesn't need to know that. 'Honestly, Goldenlake. A big man like you, terrified of a bunch of women?' Her face turns serious as she brings herself closer and whispers conspiratorially in his ear. 'I will protect you from the nasty women Raoul. It's alright. I won't let them get you.'

Following her lead, he leans over and whispers, 'Thank you.'


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: not my characters ^^

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It's ridiculous really, the fuss he's made over this party. Quite are perhaps twenty women there, and the Dragon is nowhere to be seen. But Raoul is jumping at every greeting, a strained smile on his face as he kisses the hands of the potential brides and their mothers. It's quite pitiful, really, so Buri has taken to scowling whenever a woman comes too near to them. She said she'd look after him, no matter if the situation seems absurd to her.

She's looking around the hall, taking in the lights , the decorations, the bunches of women gossiping around the room, and exchanging glares with the ones who glance towards herself and Raoul when she sees her companion freeze beside her, eyes wide.  
'...Raoul?' She nudges his arm, but he stays frozen.

'Its _her_. Over there. The Dragon... Gods, Buri- hide me.' He grabs her shoulders and pushes her in front of him, crouching slightly. She can only imagine how peculiar they must look.

The woman in question looks to be about sixty or so, with grey hair pulled back neatly from her face and stern grey eyes. She certainly has the look of the family matriarch, as she glides around the hall greeting the other guests, and Buri can see how she got the name 'Dragon'. She is clearly one lady that you would not want to mess with.

'Get off me, you great oaf. You're far too old to be behaving like that.' She tries to free herself from his grip, but his hands tighten, and she could have sworn she heard him whimper.

'Buri...'

She pats his cheek. 'There there. It's all going to be fine. Just _relax_...'

'Right, we've been here long enough, can we leave now?'

She tuts. 'Of course not. That would be extremely rude. Not to mention ungrateful.'

'No one would notice!' He pleads. 'We'd just have to- Buri she's coming this way. Buri... she's coming... she's looking at me Buri! Oh Gods no, she's walking over... go away go away go away go away... don't **smile** at her! Great. Now she's definitely going to coming to us.'

'It's all going to be fine.' She says soothingly, using the same voice she employs whilst calming a particularly skittish horse. Once facing away from Raoul, Buri smirks. This is going to be fun...

Raoul pouts, and speaks in a flat voice.

'I hate you.'


End file.
